Retractable driving means and sampling apparatus



Feb. 6, 1968 R. B. ROBINSON Filed April 5, 1965 ROBERT B ROBINSON United States Patent Ofiice 3,367,188 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,188 RETRACTABLE DRIVING MEANS AND SAMPLING AFPARATUS Robert B. Robinson, Tulsa, Okla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Sinclair Research, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 445,564- 9 Claims. (Ci. 73-4252) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE Portable apparatus for retrieving samples of subsurface earth and the like that is characterized by a hollow barrel connected to a rigid rod at one end and to a retractable driving point at the other end.

The present invention relates to a sampling device, and, more particularly, to a protable device for collecting unconsolidated sediment and interstitial water samples from a selected depth.

It is a well known practice to take or cut samples from sub-surface formations, such as sediment and interstitial water samples, for use in geological prospecting, subsurface oil study, etc. It is of course essential that the sample be fully recovered for subsequent examination. The present invention is directed to a device for collecting such unconsolidated sediment and interstitial water samples from selected depths which incorporates a sampling means, e.g. a barrel, having a retractable driving point which can be withdrawn into the sampling means and rigid means, e.g. a pipe, attached to the top of the barrel. The rigid means provides several functions includ ing'those of providing means for removal of the interstitial water sample, providing means for driving the device into the sediment, and containing means for withdrawing the driving point.

In general, when the device is to be used, the device, with the driving point in its extended position, is driven into the sediment by the application of a force on the rigid means until the device is at the desired depth where the sample is to be obtained. At this time the driving point is withdrawn into the barrel which leaves the sampling barrel open at the end and in a position to take sediment and water samples immediately below this depth. The water sample, for example, can be removed through the rigid means and collected at the surface. The sediment sample is taken by driving the device further into the ground which forces the sediment immediately below the device up into the barrel. The bottom end of the sample barrel is then closed to retain the sample within the barre] and the device is pulled to the surface.

The present invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the device with the driving point extended;

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1 with the driving point retracted; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken along section line 33 in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the device includes a sampling barrel 10, driving point 12 contained within one end of barrel 1i) and rigid driving pipe 14 attached to the other end of barrel 10. Driving head 15 is attached to the pipe 14 and conduit 17 is threaded into pipe 14. Conduit 17 is connected to the interior of barrel 10 through pipe 14.

The driving point 12 is releasably held in position in the open end of barrel 10 by means including element 16 arranged in chamber 18 of the driving point 12 and rods 20 and 22 which are arranged in bores 28 and 30 in the wall 32 of driving point 12. Rods 20 and 22 are normally biased by springs 24- and 26, respectively, which abut element 16 to extend through bores 28 and 30 outwardly of wall 32 of the driving point 12. Element 16 has one end 16" of uniform large diameter and another end 16" of uniform smaller diameter joined by section 16' of varying diameter. When the driving point 12 is in the open end of barrel 10, the springs 24- and 26 abut the large end 16 of element 16 and the rods 20 and 22 are biased to extend outwardly into bores 34 and 36 in the wall of barrel 10 to lock the driving point in position at the open end of barrel 10 while the barrel is driven into the sediment. When desired, the driving point 12 is released by wire 38 which is attached to element 16 and passes through the driving pipe 14 and bore 40 in the sidewall of pipe 14 to the surface as shown in FIGURES l and 2. When wire 38 is pulled, element 16 is raised in chamber 16 so that the springs 24 and 26 bear against the small end 16" of element 16. The rods 20 and 22 now extend only into bores 28 and 30 so that continual pulling of wire 33 will raise the driving point 12 to the position shown in FIGURE 2..

A series of plate members, eg. six triangularly shaped plates 49, see FIGURE 3, are pivotally arranged in pocket 42 in the side wall of barrel 1!) adjacent the open end thereof to close the end of barrel 10 when the driving point 12 is raised. Springs 44, arranged behind the plates 40, normally bias the plates outwardly from their open attitude substantially parallel to the barrel wall so that when the driving point 12 is withdrawn into barrel 16 above the plates, the plates are pressed outwardly and rest on ledge 46 to close the open end of barrel 10 as shown in FIGURE 2. The number of plate members may be varied as desired so long as the plate members close the interior of barrel 1i) and do not block passage of driving point 12.

In operation, driving point 12 is placed against the sediment and driven the desired depth into the sediment by a force applied to the driving head 15 on pipe 14. The driving force may be applied manually with a sledge hammer or by a power operated hammer tool. At the desired depth, wire 38 is pulled to raise member 16. This retracts rods 28 and 22 from the retaining bores 34 and 36 in the wall barrel 10 and allows the driving head 12 to be pulled to the upper end of barrel 10 as shown in FIGURE 2. Of course, additional rods can be used to hold the driving point in place if desired. It is preferable,

'however, to space the rods symmetrically about element 16 to evenly distribute the driving force applied to head 15. For example, when two rods are used the rods are preferably about 180 apart. Thus, three rods would be placed about 120 apart, four rods would be placed about apart, etc. The element 16 can be round or, preferably have flat sides, e.g. triangular, square, etc., to provide a flat surface for the springs to abut against. Also, the rods 29 and 22 can be tangentially arranged on the element and removed by a solid rod passing through pipe 14 and having an ular threads at the lower end meshing with similar threads on the rods .in a conventional manner to translate rotary movement of the solid rod to longitudinal movement of the rods 20 and 22.

Once the driving point is in the retracted position shown in FIGURE 2, the device is in readiness for sampling. Thereupon, the device is driven further into the ground and sediment is forced into barrel 1i). Interstitial water at the sample depth passes from barrel 10 through driving pipe 14, out the sample opening 17. A pump (not shown) can be attached to the device if desired. After the sediment sample is caught in barrel 10, the device is raised which loosens the sediment around the open bottom of barrel allowing springs 44 to push plates 40 out into the barrel, see FIGURE 2. The weight of the sample upon contact with the plates 40 during upward movement of the device assists in closing plates 40 and the plates 40 are held in a horizontal closed position by ledge 46 inside the barrel 10. In actual practice springs 44 can be omitted if relatively heavy plates which will fall outwardly under their own Weight are used. Plates 40 retain the sample within barrel 10. The lower part of barrel 10 may be unscrewed at 48 to facilitate removal of the sample and resetting of the driving point.

In general, the barrel 10 is of a size sufficient to collect a sample of the desired size, e.g. of from about 100 to 300 cubic centimeters. For example, the barrel 1'0 can be a pipe of up to about one foot or more in length, having a diameter small enough to pass through the sediment. Suitable diameters are from about one to three inches, for example. Samples may be manually obtained with the present device at depths of from about to feet, although with power operated driving means, samples may be obtained from greater depths, e.g. up to about 20 to 30 feet. The device can be used on dry land or on water.

It is claimed:

1. A portable sampling device for collecting samples from a selected depth below a surface comprising hollow barrel means adapted to be driven to said selected depth and receive said sample, a retractable driving point arranged in one end of said barrel means, rigid means secured to the other end of said barrel means designed to drive and retrieve said barrel means through said surface, said rigid means providing means for driving the barrel means to said depth, means for retaining said driving point at said one end of the barrel means and for retracting said driving point from said one end of the barrel means including at least one rod member adapted to extend through a bore in the wall of said driving point and into a bore provided in the wall of said barrel means, first means for extending said rod into and for retracting said rod member from said bore in the wall of said barrel means, and second means for actuating said first means from said surface.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first means comprises an element arranged within the driving point and having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively smaller diameter and spring means abutting said element for biasing each said rod member outwardly of said element into said passage, and wherein said second means includes means for moving said element within said driving point so that said spring means selectively bias against said first portion and said second portion of the element, the difference in said relative diameters of the first and second portions being sufficient to prevent said rod member from entering said bore in the wall of said barrel means when said spring means biases against said second portion and to extend said rod member into said bore when said spring means biases against said first portion.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of said rod members and spring means arranged approximately symmetrically about said element.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said element has a fiat surface for each said spring.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said rigid means is hollow for the removal of liquid samples from said selected depth.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said means for moving said element comprises a Wire secured to said element and passing through said rigid means to the surface.

7. The device of claim 2 further including a plurality of plate members pivotally arranged in spaces provided in the wall of said barrel means for pivoting outwardly into said barrel means, said plate members when pivoted outwardly resting on the rim of said space to close the end of said barrel means.

8. The device of claim 7 including separate spring means for biasing each said plate member outwardly.

9. The device of claim 1 that includes means capable of retaining said samplein said barrel means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,075,588 1/1963 Mitchell 2O 3,266,323 8/1966 Buchanan et a1 73425.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,018,891 2/1966 Great Britain.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS PRINCE, Examiner.

D. YASICH, Assistant Examiner. 

